Yep, I know him very well. Some say he is just an old opinionated “son of a bee”, which may be true as he has been connected with beekeeping since 1954. Once he was a commercial beekeeper from Los Banos, California, he also has had beekeeping operations in Meeker, Colorado, and Arivaca, Arizona.

Well known in the beekeeping industry and by those who would regulate it and state and national legislatures. He was responsible, at times single handed, for the “beekeeper indemnification program”, and deregulation of beekeeping in California and other states. He has proven that a few beekeepers can effect change in the USA if armed with the weapons of truth and no money. He is well know for his support of beekeeping research and is one of the few beekeepers who does support both basic and applied beekeeping research believe it or not.

He is not a power broker in beekeeping politics and over the years has earned a reputation for honesty and straight talking and is respected for his original ideas. He takes great pride on the fact that he as a beekeeper with nothing to sell other beekeepers other then ideas and experience and has been honored as a speaker at state and national beekeeping meeting many times if only to balance out the programs which are many times overloaded with those outside the “hands on” beekeeping industry.

Some say he is funny, he also has made grown men cry, and some have made a show of walking out when he speaks. He is often quoted by others…

What else do you want to know. Personally I know he is OK, he takes St. John’s Wart pills to keep it together. Is divorced but his X continues to be his friend. Several of the high school kids that worked for him are now large successful commercial beekeeper in California and North Dakota. One of them is his next door neighbor.